Shoe Face Display

ABSTRACT

A shoe display for a shoe having a pair of opposing guards, includes at least one track, wherein the track is disposed on at least one of the opposing guards and an interchangeable face member having at least one edge, the at least one edge maintained in a complementary manner in the at least one track such that the interchangeable face member slides in and out the at least one track.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to items which are displayed on shoes.Mart particularly, this invention relates to a shoe face display.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shoes which are of the type pertaining to the instant invention relateto those having opposing guards (e.g., shoe lace guards) disposedadjacent a shoe tongue. Laced shoes incorporate shoelaces for securingthe shoes to the wearer's feet. Laced shoes generally have a pair ofopposing lace guards which can be drawn together by a shoelace threadedbetween shoelace eyelets formed thereon. The shoelace eyelets aregenerally formed as a row on each of the opposing lace guards with theshoelace eyelets oriented to form opposing pairs of shoelace eyelets.The opposing pairs of shoelace eyelets permit the shoelace to bethreaded through the shoelace eyelets to join the opposing pairs ofshoelace eyelets.

To permit the opposing lace guards to cooperate with the shoelacewithout causing discomfort to the user, and a tongue is formed on theshoe to separate the shoelaces from the interior of the shoe. Oneexemplary type of laced shoe for the instant invention are those forsneakers, running shoes and most other forms of athletic shoes.

Some of the prior art have devised various ways to display items on orabout the shoe laces of shoes, such as with logos, designs, or otheritems for displaying information such as a number or other logo whichmay be desired. For example, a logo or number has been used on asubstrate connected to part of the body of the shoe or about the shoelace. Connection has been done through sewing, gluing, or rivets, todirectly to a lace.

While these forms of displays are functional, they are not desirable forease of use, comfort or retrofitting onto shoes due to lack offlexibility in their application. In some cases, there is a fixed memberbearing a display may be provided with an aperture which permits thedisplay to be attached to the shoe by passing the shoelace through theaperture of the member and then tying off the shoelace. This type ofdisplay member is typically limited in flexibility and comfort. Animproved display for quick and easy attachment to a shoe which overcomesthe disadvantages of the prior art is therefore required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object to improve a display device for a shoe.

It is a further object to provide a shoe face display.

Another object is to provide flexibility and comfort in a shoe having ashoe face display.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a shoe face display for a show having opposing guards about atongue, which includes one or more slide track, the track is disposed onat least one of the opposing guards; and an interchangeable face memberhaving at least one edge. The edge is maintained in a complementarymanner in the at least one track such that the interchangeable facemember slides in and out the at least one track.

The interchangeable face member has an indicia on a front face thereof.The interchangeable face member can be made of an elastic material. Theinterchangeable face member can includes a pair of respective elongatedside members, each side member bound to an edge of the interchangeableface member and when so bound is slidably received in one of theopposing track.

The each track can include a U-shaped member having a pair of opposingarms and a base defining a mouth to receive about an edge of one of theopposing guards.

In another embodiment, there are provided a pair of panel members, eachhaving a plurality of eyelets to receive lace therethrough and connectedto one track and which can be connected about eyelets of the shoe by alace threading them together. A pair of stretch materials interconnectsone panel member and a respective track. One of said uppermost armsconnects to the track which receives the edge of the interchangeableface member.

The shoe the shoe face display is to be used with is a standard lacedshoe having a pair of opposing lace guards which are configured to besecured together by a shoelace threaded through a plurality of laceeyelets formed on the opposing lace guards. The shoe face display isdimensioned to permit the shoe face display to be attached between theopposing lace guards by threading the shoelace through the lace eyelets.The shoe face display is further dimensioned to fit between the laceeyelets of the opposing lace guards.

With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparentto those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as thisspecification proceeds, the invention is herein described by referenceto the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes adescription of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a shoe face display in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a shoe with the shoe face display thereon inaccordance with the present invention with the laces below the facedisplay as represented in hidden lines.

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of shoe face display withcomponents shown displaced in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a shoe with the shoe face display of FIG. 4thereon in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along line B-B of FIG. 4.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

FIG. 7 depicts components of the shoe face display of FIG. 4 on a shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, a shoe face display made in accordance withembodiments the present invention is generally referred to with thenumeral 10. The shoe face display 10 is for connection to laced shoes 12which have a pair of opposing lace guards 14 which can be drawn togetherby a shoelace 13 threaded between shoelace eyelets 16 formed thereon.The shoelace eyelets 16 are generally formed as a row on each of theopposing lace guards 14 with the shoelace eyelets 16 oriented to formopposing pairs of shoelace eyelets 16. The opposing pairs of shoelaceeyelets 16 permit the shoelace 13 to be threaded through the shoelaceeyelets 16 to join the opposing pairs of shoelace eyelets 16.

In one embodiment as seen in FIGS. 1-3, the shoe face display 10includes a pair of tracks 20A and 20B, wherein each track 20A and 20B isconnected to a respective stretch material 22A and 22B, which can be anelastic or stretch fabric material, for example, connected to arespective side 24A and 24B of track 20A and 20B.

On another side 26A and 26B of the respective stretch material 22A and22B is connected a respective panel member 28A and 28B having aplurality of eyelets 30A and 30B, respectively, to receive lace(s) 32therethrough. An interchangeable face member 34 has an indicia 36 on afront face 38, which can be a unique player number or other symbol orletter. The interchangeable face member 34 has edges 40A and 40B to bemaintained in a complementary manner in respective opposing tracks 20Aand 20B such that the interchangeable face member 34 slides in and outthereof. The interchangeable face member 34 is assembled after thelacing of the panel members 28A and 28B. The elastic stretch materialprovides for flexibility and a comfortable fit.

In another embodiment as seen in FIGS. 4-7, the shoe face display 10includes a pair of tracks 50A and 50B which are connected (preferablyintegrally) to U-shaped bracket members 52A and 52B, respectively. Asseen in FIG. 5, the U-shaped bracket members 52A and 52B are disposedabout the eyelets 16 having arms 56A, 56B and 57A, 57B with uppermostarm 56A and 57A being outwardly disposed with respect to the shoe 12 andconnected to track 50A and 50B, respectively. Here, the U-shaped bracketmembers 52A and 52B each have the respective arms 56A, 56B and 57A and57B with a connecting base 59 and 60 to define a mouth to receive aboutan edge of one of the opposing guards 14. The arms 56A, 56B and 57A and57B are shown to include openings 61 and 63, which are here shown by wayof example, coaxially aligned and it is contemplated that the number ofopenings and placement can vary.

Interchangeable face member 58 can include an indicia 65 on a front face62 which likewise can be a unique player number or other symbol orletter. The interchangeable face member 58 has formed edges 66A and 66Bto be maintained in a complementary manner in respective opposing tracks50A and 50B such that the interchangeable face member 58 slides in andout thereof. It is envisioned that the interchangeable face member 58can be made of a material, such as a fabric which can preferably bestretch material, and which is bound on an elongated member 68A and 68B.In this regard the elongated member 68A and 68B can include a lengthwisegroove to receive an edge of the stretch material and at least partiallywrapped in a manner to provide the stretch material held or bound to themember 68A, 68B. Other forms of attachment are contemplated, such as byadhesive or mechanical means. The elongated members 68A and 68B can befed or slid into the tracks 50A and 50B in order to maintain the shoeface display 10 across a face of the shoe 12.

Interchangeable face member 34/58 is shown as substantially rectangular,but other geometric configurations are contemplated such as square,polygonal or continuous or partially curved perimeter. Interchangeableface member 34/58 can preferably be of flexible or stretchable materialto lend comfort to the wearer. However, it is contemplated that othermaterials, which may be less flexible or comfortable. It is furthercontemplated that the invention can optionally integrate into the shoe12 the tracks, 20 or 50 for example, or a similar structure to enablethe sliding receipt of interchangeable face member 34/58.

Shoelace eyelets 16 may be any type of structure configured to attach toa shoelace 13. In the shoe illustrated, shoelace passages 16 can takethe form of grommets attached to shoe 12 or may be stitched areas of thematerial, hooks, loops, or any other type of structure which has anopening or passage configured to permit a shoelace 13 to pass therethrough. Grommets or the like can preferably made of a strong and rigidmaterial such as brass, aluminum, steel or plastic.

Interchangeable plate 34/58 can preferably be made of a material whichenables the edges thereof to be slidable received into tracks 20A and20B or 50A and 50B. Interchangeable plate 34/58 has a length L definedas a length approximate that of a length eyelets 16 span the lace guards14 and a width W proximate between the eyelets 16. interchangeable plate34/58 is dimensioned such that when attached to shoe 12 as illustratedin FIGS. 2 and 5, the interchangeable plate 34/58 extends substantiallyuniformly across a face of the shoe 12.

By providing a shoe face display 10 as specified above, there isprovided a unique and comfortable display for indicia which is readilyinterchangeable. The interchangeable face member 34/58 provides adesired flexibility about a tongue of the shoe 12 as well as to provideenhanced support for one's arches through addition support provided inthe bias guards 14 toward one another. While the tracks 20A and 20B or50A and 50B and respective interchangeable plate 34/58 are shown asextending a length of the eyelets 16, it is contemplated that the lengthin which these extend can be shorter and disposed in a manner to easilyfacilitate the tying of shoe laces 13.

While an embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed,variations, modifications and derivations of the disclosed embodimentcould be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to beunderstood that the present invention is not limited to the embodimentsdescribed above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within thescope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoe display for a shoe having a pair ofopposing guards, which includes: at least one track, wherein said trackis disposed on at least one of the opposing guards; and aninterchangeable face member having at least one edge, said at least oneedge maintained in a complementary manner in said at least one saidtrack such that said interchangeable face member slides in and out saidat least one track.
 2. The shoe display of claim 1, wherein saidinterchangeable face member has an indicia on a front face thereof. 3.The shoe display of claim 1, wherein said interchangeable face member ismade of an elastic material.
 4. The shoe display of claim 1, whereinsaid interchangeable face member includes a at least one elongated sidemember, said at least one side member bound to at least one edge of saidinterchangeable face member and when so bound is slidable received insaid at least one one track.
 5. The shoe display of claim 1, whereinsaid each track includes a U-shaped member having a pair of opposingarms and a base defining a mouth to receive about an edge of one of theopposing guard.
 6. The shoe display of claim 1, which includes at leastone panel member, said at least one panel member having a plurality ofeyelets to receive lace therethrough and connected to said at least onetrack and which can be connected about eyelets of the shoe by a lacethreading them together.
 7. The shoe display of claim 6, which includesat least one stretch material interconnecting said at least one saidpanel member and a respective at least one track.
 8. The shoe display ofclaim 5, which includes at least one of said arms being outwardlydisposed with respect to the shoe when disposed thereon and connected tosaid at least one track.
 9. The shoe display of claim 8, whereinincludes U-shaped bracket members and are disposed about eyelets of theshoe.